Man City agree fee with AC Milan for midfielder Reijnders

AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders awarded MVP of 2024-2025 season during the Italian championship Serie A football match between AC Milan and AC Monza on 25 May 2025 at San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy. [AFP]

Manchester City have agreed a deal with AC Milan for Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders -- their first major signing of the summer transfer window, reports said Wednesday.

The deposed Premier League champions are set to pay 55 million euros ($63 million) for the 26-year-old, who is understood to have agreed a five-year contract, with the formalities yet to be finalised.

City hope to complete the deal for the Netherlands international in time for the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, which kicks off on June 14.

Reijnders joined AC Milan from AZ Alkmaar in 2023 and scored 15 goals for the Italian club in 2024/25.

He will boost Pep Guardiola's midfield options following the departure of Kevin De Bruyne.

The veteran Belgium international is not expected to be involved at the Club World Cup, with a move to Serie A champions Napoli looking increasingly likely.

Midfielder Mateo Kovacic has been ruled out of the tournament after undergoing surgery on an Achilles injury.

Pep Guardiola's team endured a disappointing 2024/25 campaign, finishing third in the Premier League and failing to win a trophy for the first time in eight years.

Last week City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak admitted the club "probably should have been more aggressive" in the transfer market ahead of the campaign.

Guardiola's men will travel to the expanded 32-team Club World Cup as defending champions after winning the competition under its previous guise in Saudi Arabia two years ago.

They open their campaign against Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia on June 18.

The transfer window is open until June 10 to accommodate clubs wanting to sign players for the Club World Cup. It reopens on June 16.